Virginia sets pesticide disposal dates, collection sites

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) and the Virginia Pesticide Control Board invite agricultural producers, licensed pesticide dealers and pest control firms, golf courses and homeowners to participate in the 2007 pesticide disposal program, which collects unwanted, outdated, or banned pesticides and disposes of them in a safe manner.

The disposal program will accept only pesticides including herbicides, insecticides, weed and feed, fungicides, etc.

According to VDACS officials, this is not a household hazardous waste program and will NOT accept batteries, paint, oil, fertilizer or any other waste products. Anyone with questions regarding acceptable items for disposal in this program should contact their local county Extension agent or Liza Fleeson at 1-804.371.6561 or liza.fleeson@vdacs.virginia.gov<//a>.

VDACS, through its Office of Pesticide Services (OPS), provides this service at no cost to participants. The program is funded through pesticide product registration fees collected by OPS.

This year’s program will provide collection sites in the following areas For the counties of Amherst and Bedford, and the city of Lynchburg, Tuesday Sept. 11, 2007, May's Farmer Service, 1600 Campbell Ave., Lynchburg, Va. 24501, 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

For Halifax County and the town of South Boston, Friday Sept. 21, 2007, Halifax County Landfill, 1001 Farmway Lane, Halifax, Va. 24558, 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

According to VDACS, pesticides should remain in their original containers and should be transported in the bed of a truck or the trunk of a car. Bags or containers which are intact and not leaking can be placed in a cardboard box for transport. Assuming bags or containers are intact, simply washing hands with soap and water after handling is sufficient.

If any bags or containers are torn or leaking, the torn bag or leaking containers should be placed inside leak proof containers for transport. In this case, the use of gloves would be prudent, followed by washing hands with soap and water.

The Pesticide Disposal Program is a cooperative program of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Virginia Pesticide Control Board, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Virginia Cooperative Extension and the Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services.

Participants may register by contacting their local Extension agents or by calling VDACS’ Office of Pesticide Services at 804/371-8598.

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